1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; appropriating money for entrepreneurial 
1.3 	development; requiring a report.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. ASSISTANCE TO ENTREPRENEURS; APPROPRIATION.
 1.6 	(a) $175,000 in fiscal year 2022 and $175,000 in fiscal year 2023 are appropriated from 
1.7 	the workforce development fund to the commissioner of employment and economic 
1.8 	development for a grant to the Regional Center for Entrepreneurial Facilitation. Funds 
1.9 	available under this section must be used to provide entrepreneur and small business 
1.10 	development direct professional business assistance services in the following counties in 
1.11 	Minnesota: Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Watonwan, 
1.12 	and Waseca. For the purposes of this section, "direct professional business assistance 
1.13 	services" must include but is not limited to payment of overhead costs, pre-venture assistance 
1.14 	for individuals considering starting a business, and services for underserved populations, 
1.15 	agricultural businesses, and students. Any balance in the first year does not cancel and is 
1.16 	available for expenditure in the second year. This is a onetime appropriation.
1.17 	(b) Grant recipients shall report to the commissioner by February 1, 2023, and include 
1.18 	information on the number of customers served in each county; the number of businesses 
1.19 	started, stabilized, or expanded; the number of jobs created and retained; and business 
1.20 	success rates in each county. By April 1, 2023, the commissioner shall report the information 
1.21 	submitted by grant recipients to the chairs and ranking minority members of the standing 
1.22 	committees of the house of representatives and the senate having jurisdiction over economic 
1.23 	development issues.